Running isn’t about avoiding braking; it’s about using braking. Each step is a collision with the ground, and that collision sets up the chain that carries the torso forward. The sequence is simple but profound:
1. Foot and tibia rotate into contact.
2. Tibia stops — the anchor point.
3. Femur rotates — slinging the torso forward.
The technique of when lies here: extend the collision until the tibia has fully stopped, then rotate the femur. This timing ensures the collision isn’t cut short (too stiff) or dragged out (too soft), but used precisely for translation.
Braking as Trainable Skill
What are you training?
– The ability to extend a collision without collapsing.
– The timing of femur rotation — not too early, not too late.
– The crooked (pre-bent) catch of a sprinter vs. the yielding catch of a distance runner.
How do you train it?
– Crooked Landings (preset): Already bent, catch and hold until tibia stops, then rotate femur.
– Yielding Catches (distance style): Land taller, bend deeper, extend the collision window, then rotate femur.
– Forward Entries: Resisted forward falls and curved steps to practice collision management in motion.
– Rotational Entries: Spiral catches where braking has a torsional component.
When do you train it?
– Use braking drills before sprint sessions to prime stiffness and timing.
– Place yielding drills within endurance work to build longevity.
– Integrate braking catches in strength/conditioning blocks to teach athletes when to extend, when to rotate.
Workout Example (Technique of When)
Phase 1 – Awareness
– Forward Resisted Falls (3×6 each leg): Lean forward, release, land crooked. Hold collision until tibia stops, then rotate femur.
– Step-Off Crooked Landings (3×5 each leg): Drop from a low box, preset bent. Catch and extend collision → femur rotation drives torso.
Phase 2 – Adaptability
– Yield-to-Catch Landings (3×6): Step tall, land, then bend deeper. Extend collision into the yield, rotate femur only after tibia stop.
– Curved Step Entries (3×4 per side): Jog into curved landing. Time femur rotation to start only when tibia stops turning.
Phase 3 – Integration
– Spiral Catches (3×4 each leg): Step diagonally forward-down, crooked catch. Hold collision — tibia halts — femur rotates torso through.
– Bound-and-Run (4×20m): 2 braking bounds → immediate run. Feel the collision extend, then release with femur rotation.
Conclusion
The essence of braking technique is the when. To train braking is to train the skill of extending the collision until the tibia has stopped, then rotating the femur to catapult the torso forward. This timing transforms braking from a “loss” into the very mechanism of propulsion.
[Feature Photo by Austrian National Library on Unsplash.]